1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a resealable package, in particular, a blister-type package, for storing and transporting at least one sample gathering device, such as a sterile swab for collecting biological or chemical specimens.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is often necessary for medical personnel to obtain biological samples from a patient for diagnostic purposes. For instance, if a patient is suffering from a sore throat, it is common for a physician to order a "throat culture" in which a sample of the mucous or fluid in the patient's throat is collected and analyzed to detect the presence of certain bacteria that may be causing the infection. Also, if a patient is suffering from a wound or vagina infection, a physician may request that a specimen be collected from the patient. Such throat or tract samples are commonly obtained by rubbing a sterile swab, such as a Dacron or rayon against the infected area so that some fluid or mucous adheres to the swab. The-swab on which the sample has been collected is then placed in a container, and sent to a laboratory for analysis.
Prior to use, the sterile swabs can be stored in their own individual sterile containers, such as a plastic tube, foil pouch or the like. When a swab is to be used, the package is opened and the swab is removed. The swab is used to collect the specimen, and can then be placed in another package containing a transport medium, such as a Stuart's medium, modified Stuart's medium, Amies media, or the like, which maintains microorganisms viable. The package containing the used swab and medium can then be sealed and forwarded to the laboratory for testing.
Another type of package, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,910,410 to Shaw, contains the sterile unused swab, and can be used to store and transport the swab after the swab has been used to collect the sample. This type of package includes a plastic tray containing a cavity in which a single or double swab is stored. The cavity is covered by a material, such as a laminate, plastic or the like, which is attached to the tray containing the cavity by an adhesive. When the swab is to be removed for use, the cover is peeled back and the swab is taken out of the cavity and applied to the infected area of the patient as described above. The used swab is then placed back into the cavity, and the lid is sealed back over the cavity. The adhesive material allows the lid to be peeled back to expose the cavity, and to then be reattached to the tray to cover the cavity. The cavity also includes a medium which maintains the bacteria on the collected sample. However, because the same cavity which includes the medium stores the swab in its unused condition, some of the medium could potentially adhere to the swab and thus be transferred to the patient and/or make the swab difficult to remove from the cavity.
Other types of packages are available which store the medium in an area that is separated from the swab cavity by a breakable medium. After the swab has been inserted into the cavity, the breakable medium is fractured by the insertion of the swab (or manually by an operator) to release the medium into the swab cavity. Packages of this type are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,220 to Monaghan and U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,323 to Olsen. Some of these types of packages may contain a seal which isolates the cavity containing the tip of the swab from the cavity containing the remainder (e.g., the handle) of the swab, to prevent the medium from leaking into the entire swab cavity and thus contaminating the shaft of the swab. However, these types of packages are typically not designed to accommodate multiple swabs, or to apply multiple media to a single swab.
Accordingly, a continuing need exists for a resealable package for storing and transporting swabs that provides isolation between the swab and the medium prior to use, eliminates the need for performing a second manual operation (e.g., breaking a seal) after reinserting the used swab to provide the medium to the swab and specimen, prevents the medium from contaminating the swab handle after a sample has been taken, and allows for the use of multiple swabs and/or multiple media.